Official : Bendis gets both books

[Sacred Knight]

Which is funny because that's exactly what they did to conceal much of Selina and Bruce's engagement with Tom King on Batman

And the "Super League" story which was actually "Last Days".

Although true, that was just story details fibbed about, as opposed to outright differing creator credits.

[Ra-El]

I doubt that DC would go through the trouble of creating fake solicitations. More likely is that Bendis coming on is exactly what it is - a change in plans.

It's pretty obvious given the storylines that were unfolding in his Marvel books and the interviews he was giving well into the fall about his future plans there that he was not planning on leaving anytime soon. What happened to prompt his decision to jump ship will likely stay private (the story he tells about a visit to the Superman museum sounds nice but is clearly doesn't tell the full tale) but I think it's clear that it was somewhat sudden and not something that was long in the works.

Given the long lead time for comics, I wouldn't say that this is a "last minute" rush job but I will say that where DC saw the Superman line going even four months ago is not where it's going now.

Besides the money, I think that DC giving Bendis his on imprint to run was what convinced him. He will have almost total authority over 3 or 4 comics, he would be able to bring in creators and guide them, for more freedom he had on Marvel they never made him the CCO of his own corner there. As for how long this was planed, I don't think this was set a long time ago, but I doubt DC is throwing away anything that was already written.

[Prof. Warren]

Besides the money, I think that DC giving Bendis his on imprint to run was what convinced him. He will have almost total authority over 3 or 4 comics, he would be able to bring in creators and guide them, for more freedom he had on Marvel they never made him the CCO of his own corner there. As for how long this was planed, I don't think this was set a long time ago, but I doubt DC is throwing away anything that was already written.

No, the current Superman teams surely had things mapped out as far as outlines and general ideas but no actual scripts yet.

And Bendis definitely had more to gain by going to DC. For various reasons, his star has diminished a bit at Marvel. He's no longer the brash young guy shaking up the MU and now writers like Donny Cates are generating the kind of heat at Marvel that Bendis used to. While I'm sure Marvel would have loved to keep him on, at this point there's nothing left that they can offer him as far as their big guns go. He's left his mark on pretty much every corner of Marvel - Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man, etc. If he stuck around, he'd just be retreading the same ground.

Better for him to play in an all-new sandbox.

[Superlad93]

So is everyone a bit more chill now that we have confirmation that Jon (along with Damian) is getting a new OGN? I mean, I really doubt they'd make an OGN created to get kids into comics using a popular character(s) who will be totally absent when they make that jump to comics proper.

[Sacred Knight]

I'm fine but for different reasons. I was very, very, very much in approval to the at least appearance that Bendis does not plan to overly focus on him. Instead of this OGN making me worried that he will be, it just reinforces the hope for me that they'll do a better job of putting the major focus on him in more appropriate places and that he will indeed be just a supporting character in both of Superman's main books as he should be and always should have been.

And on top of that hopefully the "Jon is the future" undertone trope is over as well. I think that's a high likelihood as well as that was more of a Jurgens thing. Tomasi/Gleason ended up using him more but Jurgens still created him and it was still his idea that Jon would be this canon successor in his original Beyond ideas, which I think was the initial inspiration that all the "Future Jon" tropes Tomasi ended up utilizing left and right were initially spun from.

[Superlad93]

And on top of that hopefully the "Jon is the future" undertone trope is over as well.

Given how Bendis uses youth couture, I wouldn't bank on this undertone going away anytime soon as at least a back thought, but for a number of reasons, I've got a lot of faith that it won't be a central focus of every adventure now. That said, I can almost assure you (no way of knowing, mind you) that Jon as the canon successor will stay around just as Damian as Batman has. Especially with the push from DC Zoom and DC Link. The idea of the characters that these kids will following growing up to very possibly be Superman and Batman is very much something they'll likely be down to keep as a back thought.

I still bet Jon's the one to get the slot that the Superwoman book left, and if the Super Sons ongoing stays around (no reason to assume it'll be gone, but it's worth noting that Jorge Jimenez is likely done drawing it since Snyder seems to be eyeing him for Justice League) then that'll likely mean that Bendis will have less and less of an obligation to make him a central focus.

[DragonPiece]

Given how Bendis uses youth couture, I wouldn't bank on this undertone going away anytime soon as at least a back thought, but I've got a lot of faith that it won't be a central focus of every adventure now. And I can almost assure you (know way of knowing, mind you) that Jon as the canon successor will stay around just as Damian as Batman has and totally will stay around.

I still bet Jon's the one to get the slot that the Superwoman book left, and if the Super Sons ongoing stays around (no reason to assume it'll be gone, but it's worth noting that Jorge Jimenez is likely done drawing it since Snyder seems to be eyeing him for Justice League) then that'll likely mean that Bendis will have less and less of an obligation to make him a central focus.

Does Jon really need a solo book? Super Sons gets the job done, his life isn't that interesting yet to warrant a solo title. Though I still would like a Steel solo book, so maybe I am just projecting my dislike of that idea.

[bigstupidjellyfish]

Does Jon really need a solo book? Super Sons gets the job done, his life isn't that interesting yet to warrant a solo title. Though I still would like a Steel solo book, so maybe I am just projecting my dislike of that idea.

I would hope that they'd save the Superboy title for if Conner comes back, not just give it to Jon when he doesn't really need it.

[MajorHoy]

I would hope that they'd save the Superboy title for if Conner comes back, not just give it to Jon when he doesn't really need it.

Or use that book to maybe let somebody (other than Bendis) write stories with Kal-El/Clark as a teenager again (like how it use to back in the last century)?

[Superlad93]

Does Jon really need a solo book? Super Sons gets the job done, his life isn't that interesting yet to warrant a solo title. Though I still would like a Steel solo book, so maybe I am just projecting my dislike of that idea.

Idk if he needs one, but his name is 100% Superboy, and that IP will be used to move some units eventually, so he's in a pretty good position to at least rock a mini. And a character's life is only as interesting as a writer/team make it, so I don't really get that comment in the context of fictional characters in a serialized format. Ideally I'd be down for a Steel book, but I'm pretty sure it'd do about as well a Superwoman, so there's that.

This is also dependent on if Super Sons stays around. Given it's obvious popularity I doubt it's going anywhere, but you never know. Also depends on if they put him on another team book after the big team shake up that No Justice is doing. Lots of variables to account for, but a book for him is likely in the cards.

[Kuwagaton]

So is everyone a bit more chill now that we have confirmation that Jon (along with Damian) is getting a new OGN? I mean, I really doubt they'd make an OGN created to get kids into comics using a popular character(s) who will be totally absent when they make that jump to comics proper.

That's a good point. But looking over this thread, I think a greater concern is his trajectory. Most people feel that the first half of his Marvel tenure was considerably stronger than the second. And I get the burnout thing, because he was the last "architect" (Fraction, Brubaker, Ellis, Millar, Hickman, Remender, etc.) standing and it seems like he wrote almost everything. Which also factors in all the stff he didn't, since Marvel has been so extreme across the board since like Civil War. But a good amount depends on how "recharged" he is currently.

[Sacred Knight]

Given how Bendis uses youth couture, I wouldn't bank on this undertone going away anytime soon as at least a back thought, but for a number of reasons, I've got a lot of faith that it won't be a central focus of every adventure now. That said, I can almost assure you (no way of knowing, mind you) that Jon as the canon successor will stay around just as Damian as Batman has. Especially with the push from DC Zoom and DC Link. The idea of the characters that these kids will following growing up to very possibly be Superman and Batman is very much something they'll likely be down to keep as a back thought. .

My hope is that Bendis has an understanding that Superman is not like Batman. He doesn't not have an internal clock counting down where it actually makes sense to think about successors. Superman isn't going to be slowing down on a physical level 20 years into the future or so. He doesn't need a successor in that time frame unless you kill him off or something. I know, the future never comes anyway, I get that, so in the end its all rather moot. But when ideas about it come up, its still something of a sticking point with me because it makes no sense. It makes far more sense for Jon to be a stand-alone adult super hero in his own right, but not Superman. Dick/Jason/Tim/Damian becoming Batman in the near future as a concept is one born out of a place of complete sense because Bruce is a normal man who will age beyond the capabilities required to be a superhero within that timeframe.

I mean if its around in the background, I'll deal. I've dealt with far worse sticking points. But its just my personal take on how any potential future should be approached. Only way to get your immortals or near-immortals off the playing field is to kill them off or something, and to me that only works in post-apocalyptic stuff. If anything what a canon future DCU would look like 20-30 years in the future would be a Trinity of Kal-El, Diana, and Damian as Batman, not a a whole new threesome.

[Superlad93]

That's a good point. But looking over this thread, I think a greater concern is his trajectory. Most people feel that the first half of his Marvel tenure was considerably stronger than the second. And I get the burnout thing, because he was the last "architect" (Fraction, Brubaker, Ellis, Millar, Hickman, Remender, etc.) standing and it seems like he wrote almost everything. Which also factors in all the stff he didn't, since Marvel has been so extreme since like Civil War. But a good amount depends on how "recharged" he is currently.

That's their prerogative to think as fans. Can't say my optimistic view should be universal, but some of the complaints are....strange, to say the least, in my opinion obviously. But yeah, I'm here saying bring on the Bendis.

My hope is that Bendis has an understanding that Superman is not like Batman. He doesn't not have an internal clock counting down where it actually makes sense to think about successors. Superman isn't going to age noticeably 20 years into the future or so. He doesn't need a successor in that time frame.

That's assuming Superman stops being Superman when Jon becomes Superman, and I don't get why that assumption is made. But the reality is that it's also really smart use of IPs given what DC's doing with DC Zoom and DC Link. The idea that there's a very good chance that the little Superboy character that a 7 year old kid has been reading about in one of their link books is good enough to become Superman eventually is likely what will perpetuate the idea, and older fans like ourselves talking about how it doesn't make sense to us won't and shouldn't stop them from moving forward with that notion. It's not like he'll be Superman today. He's 10 going on 11, so I don't see the harm in letting him have it in a "likely" future that makes oncoming kids feel good about maybe what they can accomplish.

[Sacred Knight]

I don't know, Superman A and Superman B sounds pretty weird to me. If your dad is Superman and you're a grown adult growing into your own man, you take your dad's name? Its just all silly to me. I'd be far more intrigued with little hints and ideas here and there of him becoming his own unique entity. But I think more than anything else, I say these things from a place of individuality pretty much being the only thing that could ever make me like this character. Clark-Lite and Superman-Lite ideas really hurt Conner's characterization, in my eyes. And unlike Jon he didn't even start out that way and was much better for it. I think Jon as a concept, if he's to be long-lasting, would serve well from highlighting becoming his own person as well. Not just little Superman.

And I'm also biased. I grew up on the idea perpetuated by DC of Superman being a very, very, long-lived being who doesn't even semi-retire until way deep into the future when his lineage is already quite large. I've always enjoyed this approach most when imagining future scenarios, so I definitely get a little defensive now that he has a son and ideas are shown of him taking over so early, even with the knowledge time essentially doesn't even move in the first place in comics. What can I say, its the type of thing only a comic fan is bothered by.

[DragonPiece]

Idk if he needs one, but his name is 100% Superboy, and that IP will be used to move some units eventually, so he's in a pretty good position to at least rock a mini. And a character's life is only as interesting as a writer/team make it, so I don't really get that comment in the context of fictional characters in a serialized format. Ideally I'd be down for a Steel book, but I'm pretty sure it'd do about as well a Superwoman, so there's that.

This is also dependent on if Super Sons stays around. Given it's obvious popularity I doubt it's going anywhere, but you never know. Also depends on if they put him on another team book after the big team shake up that No Justice is doing. Lots of variables to account for, but a book for him is likely in the cards.

I'm hopeful Super Sons will continue, their is definitely behind the scenes musical chairs going on if it doesn't, since Tomasi just gave the team a secret base and teased more school adventures would be coming with damian joining Jon's school in Metropolis.

And true about Steel, that book likely won't survive as long compared to a Superboy book, but the fan in me would still like him to get a book.